Firstly.... HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

So, alot has happened since Xmas. we had the Charter from the 27th til the 3rd...which was good. The 8 guests were pretty easy to manage, they had their moments...sure! But we worked hard to impress and the 15,ooo baht tip that we each got at the end meant it was worth the effort and false smiles for a week!! Oh if only there were more charters!

So 4 of the guests were gay, 2 couples, extremely funny and good fun most times. The main people to be pleased and entertained were Kim and Alex. Brother and Sister (their mum had paid for the whole thing) Alex had brought a friend Celine and Kim had brought her husband, and the other four were Kims friends mainly.

The best part i think was the silent (but obvious) sibling war that was taking place between Kim and Alex...(these are grown adults!!) Kim was well, a spoilt, difficult to please lady and Alex was the party loving, drink loving (Vodka and Apple juice before 9am everyday!) loud adventurious one...along with his friend Celine, thay ran riot on a hourly basis causing mayhem to primarily disprupt the plans of his sister. Well it was amusing most of the time...!

They all loved the boat and as guests wernt too demanding, exept for the fact that every amazing activity we conducted, was never quite exciting enough and Kim in particular was always wanting to get to the next activity!....hmmmm.

I was pleased towards the end of the charter of their departure, and the final day they left i wasnt feeling too good, extremely tired and weak. But nether the less the moment we all got to relax, the beers came out and we played on the banana boat, and in the sea, generally causing mayhem our selves (the captain was on shore!) Ban had demanded that we needed to clean and tidy up....hmmm...unimpressed i plotted with Joey, Achmad and Aldam to throw Ban in the sea, it was an amusing moment...and we repeately threw him in and told him where to place his clean (nicely!)

So on New Years eve, the guests went to shore to some fancy 5* hotel, and i had clear intentions of celebrating in some way.....there would have been some serious protests! But we sat in Patong bay, and from sunset the firewaorks began, stunning lanterns were being let off from the beach and the fireworks we absolutely amazing from the view of the boat. We had an amazing dinner that Joey had cooked on deck, and enjoyed the view, and at about 10.30 we all except Captain were let loose on shore (only until 12.30) which was frustrating and gave us very little time, but still i was glad that we had some time to celebrate anyway! So we went into central Patong, found several bars and saw the new year in, in Tiger bar that is a big bar attration in Patong. It was good, and i managed to consume large quantities on a short time and was merry by the time we got back to the boat an HOUR late....the captain was unimpressed, but i did argue the lack of a reason we needed to be back for 12.30. Stupid and unfair i felt considering how hard we had all worked on the charter. The guests returned about 5.30 from the hotel and were all very hungover the next day....still demanding though!

After the charter we sat in Chalong, were i was particually ill for several days....we got an afternoon and a day off after the charter, and i spent the day away from the boat on my own...silence was really nice!! The malaysian chat gets to you after a while...and i went to a air conditioned shopping mall, had a reflexology foot massage....then a full body oil massage (YAY!!) which was amazing. And a really nice lunch at a japanese restuarant...after i met a few friends in their local bar in Chalong and caught up with them. It was a good day and a nice rest. The day sto follow i still wasnt too great and spent one day sleeping all day...! Felt alot better for it and after several phone calls home, Mum and Dad demanded i head to the doctors...so i had to go to the hospital as all the doctors were closed due to a Thai holiday (they have sooooo many!!!)

Well, we didnt establish anything...they took my money and gave me drugs to help my sypotoms...and did a blood test, but found not alot conclusive. Fever was their rough verdict....!

So days since then ive been feeling on and off, generally better now, and the drugs did help my head alot. We are still sititing now in Chalong and have enjoyed the ability to go to shore in the evening if we want to.

So as most of you know....it was my Borthday on the 11th!!! and we are MEANT to have sundays off, as so we made sure that we definately had sunday off and on the eve of the 10th, we left the captain on the boat again, and all of us crew went to Patong to a fancy restuarant and the crew treated me and paid for the whole meal as my birthday prezzie...which was really nice of them.

Now on the odd occation when we were near shops and the crew were going clothes shopping i pretty much took over for them, (as they had appauling clothes and fashion sense!!) and that eve thay had all dressed up smart in the nice tops and t-shirt and jeans i had forced them to buy!!! They all looked really good! well much better than before anyway! After the dinner Joey and Aldam presented me with a birthday gift of a bottle of Chivas Regal (Whisky) which was extremely nice of them and totally unexpected...!

So after the meal we hit the bars again, and as most lads would and do, the crew drank alot and got extremely interested in the Thai bar girls....(expensive ones) Me and Ban left earlier than everyone else, due to tiredness mainly! andleft the others to be busy! It was a good eve, certainly entertaining and good fun. On the actual 11th we went to the cinema and saw 'Bedtime Story' which was extremely funny and made me chuckle lots...

After we had some lunch, a massage and finally went back to the boat late afternoon....we watch some movies while Joey cooked dinner and baked me a cake....which was really good!! They sang and everything ...and comprimised with a stick lit in the middle of the cake. It was really nice and i watched Sex and the City movie before finally going to bed.

So were still in Chalong and still doing the painting....varnishing, sanding and teaking.....yes....exciting stuff. No news on any charters and im changing my plans and directions due to that fact...and have decided to leave the boat and handed my notice in.

So ill likely be here for another week, and despite the crew being so good and nice, the lack of diving and bordom, and the prospect of paiting, varnishing and all of that stuff for months on end without charters is fuelling me to change my location and get back diving and teaching again....which ill be happier doing. But yes at the precise moment i have no secure plans, but i have a week to make decisions. The Captain was extremely good about it all, and understood and i think was expecting it from my noticable bordom with painting everyday. He did also say he would recommend to the office i jump back on board if i want to for a big dive charter booked in August around the Komodo islands...now that would be really good if it came through....especially for the diving!

So we shall see where i end up, i will keep you posted! With a lack of laptop when i leave, it may be limited in communication on here....but ill make time for internet cafes on a regular basis....

Although i have a rough plan of going to Singapore for a while to visit Aunt Tracy, as shes just moved there...! So that will be lovely and will give me time to come up with more plans!

I hope you are all well....miss you all lots as always!

Hugs xxxxxx Love Me xxxxxxx